


i can't breathe (without you as mine)

by togetherwecouldbealright



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, wow why are louis and harry so in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2014-11-30
Packaged: 2018-02-27 13:04:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2694059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/togetherwecouldbealright/pseuds/togetherwecouldbealright
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's slightly strange that Harry doesn't recognize him but Louis doesn't really mind because for some reason that's a mystery to him, Harry still somehow seems to be smitten with him.</p><p>or, the one where Harry just had surgery and is at the mercy of anesthetics and Louis is having far too much fun video taping Harry's initial reaction to seeing him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i can't breathe (without you as mine)

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqebEymqFS8). Also I hate Ivana and Jordan very much for making me write this at 1 in the morning but this is for them. Also happy birthday Ez, this is for you too!!! Additionally, Louis and Harry are in love. That is all.

Louis has been through a lot the past twenty four years of his life—more than a lot if he’s honest but the last six years with Harry by his side has made it alright.

He still remembers being eighteen and falling deeply in love with the sweet sixteen year old with the curls. He remembers bumping into him in the bathroom and he remembers that Harry said, “Oops,” eyes wide in surprise.

He remembers smiling because he recognized Harry even if Harry didn’t recognize him and replying with, “Hi.” He thinks it would be strange if he _didn’t_ remember all of that because he has _oops!_ tattooed on his arm in Harry’s handwriting and Harry has _Hi_ in his.

That’s why it’s a bit strange when the doctor informs him that Harry isn’t going to remember _anything_ from the last six years of his life for the next hour or so because of the anesthetic that they administered.

The reason they’re at the hospital in the first place is because Harry somehow neglected to mention that his side was bothering him until Louis found him on the kitchen floor, passed out.

Thankfully he only had to get his appendix removed and nothing too damaging happened. Still, Louis shouted at Harry for a good ten minutes after he woke up before hugging him tightly, despite the doctor’s orders to not disturb him.

It’s been several hours since then and Louis is sitting next to Harry’s hospital bed, waiting for him to wake up. The nurses told him that Harry should be awake any minute and when he does, Louis should make sure that he eats some food.

Louis is busy texting the rest of the boys an update on what’s going on that he doesn’t even realize when Harry wakes up until he hears rustling and then, “Oops.”

Immediately Louis’ head snaps up and he sees Harry trying feebly to pick up the water bottle he just dropped onto the floor. Without thinking about it, Louis reaches over and grabs Harry by the wrist gently, stopping him. “Hi,” he greets warmly.

Harry turns to look at him then and Louis watches as he inhales sharply in surprise. Louis furrows his eyebrows at him, unsure why Harry is giving him that look and he’s even further confused when Harry breathes, “ _Wow_.”

Louis blinks at him, dropping his wrist. “What is it? Have I got something on my face?”

Harry shakes his head really slowly and his expression is—of awe? It’s not a rare expression on Harry’s face since he’s awed by even the simplest things but it’s very misplaced here in a hospital room after he’s just had surgery.

“No,” Harry mumbles, eyes wide and he looks slightly crazed. Louis realizes it must be the anesthetics making him loopy. “God, you’re so _gorgeous_.”

That startles a laugh out of Louis and he covers his hand with his mouth in disbelief. “I’m what?”

“Gorgeous,” Harry repeats very seriously.

Louis smiles before he can help it and immediately scrambles for his phone, turning the camera on and starting to record a video. As if he’s going to let the world miss out on a hazy Harry calling him gorgeous.

He’s then reminded of his current responsibilities and with his other hand, he picks a cracker off the plastic plate that the nurses left behind. “Eat up, Harry.”

“I’ll do anything you want me to do,” Harry replies with an earnest expression, taking the cracker from Louis’ hand and Louis laughs again. “Just say the word.”

“That’s good to know, love, thank you,” Louis replies, patting Harry’s free hand lightly before leaning back in his seat. “Are you feeling alright?”

Harry doesn’t answer his question at first, too busy opening his mouth wide in attempt to fit the cracker in even though it’s completely unnecessary to open his mouth _that_ wide. Then he turns to look at Louis again, cracker halfway to his mouth. “Who _are_ you? What’s your name?”

Louis raises his eyebrows before he remembers that Harry doesn’t know who he is and most likely won’t for the next hour. “I’m Louis,” he answers slowly, letting it sink in and watching as Harry nods after a pause. “Now eat your cracker.”

“Okay,” Harry obliges before finally biting into the cracker. He makes a sour expression and Louis is glad that he thought to record this. After Harry finishes chewing, he looks back at Louis. “Did the doctor send you?”

Louis shakes his head, biting back a smile. “Not really, no.”

That seems to confuse Harry who tilts his head, eyebrows furrowed. “Then are you the sexy doctor?”

Again Louis shakes his head, this time unable to help his smile as he answers, “No,” before lightly patting Harry’s hand again. “Come on Haz, you’ve got to eat.”

There’s a brief moment of silence before Harry says, “But I’d rather eat you,” and Louis bursts into laughter, nearly dropping his phone.

“You’re _still_ horrible at pickup lines,” Louis informs fondly once his laughter dies down. “Honestly, you might even be worse.”

Harry pouts, muttering, “ _Heeeeey_ ,” before blinking suddenly. “Still? Do we know each other? I know the most beautiful man in the world? Really?”

“I think ‘the most beautiful man in the world’ might be exaggerating but yes, we know each other,” Louis confirms, once again patting Harry’s hand as a reminder.

Harry seems to take the hint because he takes another small bite of the cracker before asking his next question of, “Can we go on a date?”

Louis splutters in disbelief because Harry looks incredibly earnest, eyes wide and lips parted hopefully. When he’s finally able to form a coherent sentence, Louis shakes his head and replies, “No, I’m sorry, I’m afraid we can’t.”

“Oh,” Harry breathes, frowning and then suddenly the younger man is taking Louis’ left hand is his own and staring at the ring on his fourth finger. “Are you married? That’s not fair. Why do the fit men always have to be married? You’re too gorgeous to be tied down.”

Louis stares down at his ring and then briefly glances over at the tattoo on his right wrist before meeting Harry’s eyes again. Ridiculously enough, he feels butterflies in his stomach when he nods. “Yes, I’m married,” he says quietly before offering Harry his right wrist to show off his rope tattoo. “I rather like being tied down if I’m honest.”

The look on Harry’s face is incredibly despondent as he sighs deeply and lets of Louis’ hand. “They must be the luckiest person in the world.”

Deciding he’s let this go on long enough, Louis takes a deep breath and lets out a watery chuckle as he says, “Not to sound full of myself but yeah, you kind of are.”

It takes a moment for the words to sink before Harry gasps loudly and his mouth falls open. “I’m married to _you_? You’re kidding! No way! But you’re—you’re—there’s no way!” he exclaims in shock.

“I’m pretty positive,” Louis replies, still holding the camera as he pats Harry’s left wrist where the anchor tattoo is.

Louis is dangerously close to a mixture of laughter and tears now as he watches Harry do an incredulous double take. “Wow, I must _really_ love you,” Harry tells him, voice filled with awe. “That’s permanent!”

Then he raises his arm to look at the rest of his tattoos and Louis watches as his eyes zero in on the ship tattoo before they flit over to Louis’ compass. Harry’s mouth falls open again and before he can say anything, Louis cuts him off with, “We have ten matching tattoos in case you were wondering.”

“Ten?” Harry repeats incredulously and he looks dangerously close to passing out again. “You love me enough to get ten matching tattoos with me?”

Louis shakes his head, biting his lip softly. “I love you enough to get a million,” he tells him honestly and Harry blinks at him in disbelief.

Then Harry proceeds to scrub a hand over his face and turn to face the ceiling. “How did I get so lucky? Is this real? Am I really married to the most perfect person in the world?” and then he turns to face Louis again. “How long? Do we have _children_?”

That makes Louis laugh again, despite how wet his eyes are because of course the first thing that comes to Harry’s mind is children. “It’s been a year and no, not yet but we’re filling out the adoption papers.”

Harry’s voice grows dangerously high pitched as he replies, “ _Really_? Even as young as we are?”

Louis nods before lightly pushing the cracker closer to Harry’s mouth. “Eat first, ask later.”

That makes Harry pout again and he shoves the entire thing in his mouth which Louis honestly should have expected from him but he’s a bit too busy feeling fondness bubble up inside of him.

Harry seems to be genuinely surprised that they’re married and having children and Louis finds himself thinking back to the first time Harry told him that he wanted to marry Louis one day.

“Finished,” Harry announces through a mouthful and Louis blinks, remembering the situation at hand. “Can I see your face?”

“My face?” Louis repeats curiously and Harry nods jerkily, looking almost desperate.

Despite the odd request, Louis obliges and leans in and he smiles when he feels Harry’s fingers tracing along his cheekbones. When Harry’s finger comes to trace his lips, the younger man pauses and with an intrigued expression on his face, he asks, “Have we kissed?”

“Yes love, we’ve kissed,” Louis answers amusedly.

Harry’s hand drops to his lap and he just stares in what seems to be admiration. It’s strange—it reminds him of when Harry was sixteen and also reminds him of just a few days ago all at the same time. For some reason that’s completely beyond Louis, Harry likes to take these moments where he ‘sits and admires’ Louis and it doesn’t make any sense but then again, when has Harry _ever_ made sense?

“Wow, I’m the luckiest man in the world,” Harry breathes out before he smiles hopefully at Louis. “Will you kiss me now?”

“Maybe later,” Louis replies, taking Harry’s hand in his own. “Is that alright?”

Harry makes a face before he narrows his eyes. “Do you _promise_ to kiss me later?”

“I pinky promise,” Louis assures, linking their pinkies together and Harry seems content enough by this.

Then suddenly, his eyes light up and he squeezes Louis’ hand. “Can you turn around?”

Louis shakes his head, biting his lip to keep his smile from growing too wide. “Even when you’re off your nut, you’re still obsessed with my arse?”

Harry frowns deeply like this offends him before he shrugs and smiles brightly, dimples indented on either side of his face. “If we really are married, does that mean I’ve touched your arse?”

“Oh my God,” Louis replies, letting go of Harry’s hand to hide his face as his cheeks flush with mortification. “You’re completely shameless, you know that?”

“All I know is that I have the most beautiful husband in the world,” Harry replies, looking extremely pleased and then he falters, hesitant. “Are you absolutely sure we’re married?”

“Would you like me to call in your mother and confirm it for you? I’m sure Anne would be more than happy to do so,” Louis says dryly and Harry fish mouths for a second before his mouth closes entirely and he shakes his head.

With a flustered smile, he ducks his head and mumbles, “That won’t be necessary.”

Louis snorts and makes a move to stop the video but before he can, Harry tugs lightly on the bottom of his shirt and Louis look back up.

“Since we really are married, can I say something? It might sound a little crazy,” Harry whispers, as if it’s some sort of secret that only Louis can be trusted to keep. Maybe it is.

“Of course,” Louis assures, matching his voice level to match Harry’s. “What is it?”

Harry takes a quick glance around, clearly making sure they’re alone before he gestures for Louis to lean in closer. Louis raises an eyebrow but does it nonetheless, turning his head so Harry can whisper in his ear.

“Don’t tell anyone but… I think I love you,” Harry confides quietly and Louis has to take a moment to collect himself by leaning away and taking a deep breath before he turns back to face Harry with wet eyes.

“I think it might be mutual,” Louis murmurs and he sets his phone down so he can take one of Harry’s hands in both of his. “I’m fairly positive we’ve discussed it.”

That makes Harry beam brightly but it fades quickly as his eyes start to droop. Louis presses a quick kiss to his cheek right before they flutter shut completely and the last thing Harry does before he falls asleep is squeeze Louis’ hands.

Only later when Louis shows Harry the video does Harry enforce the promise of a kiss that Louis made. He also pokes fun at Louis for being such an emotional twat and Louis allows it because it’s true.

In the end of it all, Louis thinks that Harry was wrong because Harry isn’t the luckiest person in the world—Louis is because he has Harry.

**Author's Note:**

> Come [say hi to me on tumblr](http://lourrynavy.tumblr.com) or [say hi to me on twitter](http://twitter.com/deepestIove) and tell me what you thought of this! Comments and kudos are always so very appreciated. Thank you for reading!


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